The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-08
BLAINE ON THE MESSAGE.
INTERVIEW WITH THE .PLUMBED
KNIGHT IN PARIS.
A Conglomeration OF the Weakest State
ments, Not Arguments, Ever Ex-
pressed by the Tattooed Statesman
He Says Tobacco Is a Necessity.

II have been reading an abstract OF the
Presidents message, and have been espe-
cially interested in the comments Of the
London papers. Those papers all assume
to declare the message is free trade man
ifesto, and evidently are anticipating an
enlarged market for English fabrics in the
United States as consequence OF the
Presidents recommendations. Perhaps
that fact stamped the character OF the mes
sage more clearly than any words OF mine
can"
"You don't mean actual free trade with
out duty?" queried the reporter.
mo, replied Mr.. Blaine. "Nor do the
London papers mean that. They simply
mean that the President has recommended
what in the United States is known as q
revenue tariff, rejecting the protective
feature as an object, and not even permit
ting protection 10 result freely Us an Incl
dent TO revenue duties"
81 don't know that / quite comprehend
that last point" said the reporter.
81 mean,' said Mr.. Blaine, 'that for the
first time in the history OF the United
States the President recommends retain
ing the internal tax in order that the tariff
may be forced down even below the fair
revenue standard. He recommends that
the tax on tobacco be retained and thus
that many millions annually shall be levied
on domestic product which would far
better come IRON tariff on foreign
fabrics"
'"Then do you mean TO imply that you
would favor the repeal Of the tobacco
tax?'
Certainly; l mean Just that" said Mr..
Blaine. 81 should urge that il be done at
once, even before the Christmas holidays.
IL would, in the first place, bring great re-
lief to the growers OF tobacco all over the
country, and would materially lessen the
price OF the article to consumers. Tobacco
to millions of men is q necessity. The
President calls il luxury, but il is lux
ury in no other sense than tea and coffee
are luxuries. Ii is well 10 remember that
the luxury OF yesterday becomes a neces-
sity OF today. Watch, II you please, the
number OF men ut work on the farm, in
the coal mine, along the railroad, in the
iron foundry, or in any calling, and you
will find ninety-five 10 100 chewing while
they work. After each meal the same
proportion seek the solace OF pipe or
cigar. These men not only pay the
millions OF the tobacco tax, but pay on
every plug and every cigar an enhanced
price, which the tax enables the manufact-
urer and retailer 10 impose. The only
excuse for such q tax is the actual neces-
sity under which the government found
itself during the war and the years imme-
diately following. To retain the tax now
in order to destroy the protection which
would incidentally How from raising the
same amount OF money on foreign imports
Is certainly most extraordinary policy for
our government"
well, then, Mr.. Blaine, would you adj
wise the repeal Of the whisky taxi"
mo, | would not. Other considerations
than those Of financial administration are
10 he taken into account with regard 10
whisky. There is a moral side to il. To
cheaper the price Of whisky is to increase
the consumption enormously. There
would be no sense in urging the reform
wrought by high license in many States
II the national government neutralizes the
good effect by making whisky within reach
Oi everyone at 20 cents gallon. Whisky
would be everywhere distilled II the sur
VIGILANCE Of the government were with
drawn by the remission OF the tax, and
Illicit sales could not then be prevented
even by policy as rigorous and searching
nihilists. II would destroy high license
at once in all the States.
Whisky has done a vast deal OF harm
in The United states. | would try 10 make
IL do some good. | would use the tax TO
fortify our cities on the seaboard. In view
OF the powerful letter addressed 10 the
Democratic party ON the subject OF iortih-
cation by the late Samuel j. Tiden, in
| M IluN Ia
been paid to the subject by the Democratic
administration. Never before in the his
tory OF the world has any government al
lowed great cities ON the scaboard, like
Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Balii-
more, New Orleans aud san Francisco, to
remain deienseless"
But, said the reporter, lyon don't
think We aro 10 have war in any dircc-
tion?"
Certainly not" said Mr. Blaine.
Neither, presume, did Mr.. Tilden vixen
he wrote his remarkable letter. But we
should change n remote chance into an abb
solute iinposrbility II our weak and ex-
posed points were strongly fortified. II to-
day We had by any chance even such a
war ~ We had with Mexico, our enemy
could procure ironciads in Europe that
would menace our great cities with de-
strurtion or lay them under contribution"
"But would not our certifying now look
n II We expected war;
"Why should u any more than the
Notifications made seventy or eighty ycan
ago by our grpndlathers when they guard
ell themselves against successful attack
| from tile ornaments ol that day. We
don necessarily expect burglar because
We lock our door at night, but II by any
| possibility a burglar comes II contributes
| vastly 10 our peace of mind and our sound
/ sleep "a feel that he can't get IN"
But after the ioriiiications should DO
constructed would you still maintain the
| tax on whisky
"Yes." said Mr.. Blaine. go long rs
there is whisky 10 tax would tax il, and
when the national government should
have no use Tor the money ! would divide
the tax among the Federal Union with
| the specific object Of tightening the tax on
/ real estate. The houses and farms OF the
whole country pay too large proportion Of
| the total taxes. II ultimately rcliei could
! bc given IN that diwClion, Il would in
my Judgment. be- a Wise aud beneiccnt
| policy. Some honest but misguided friends
oi temperance have urged that the gov
crnncnt should not uso the money derived
from the tax ON whisky. My reply is that
the tax on whisky by the federal
government, with IL suppression OF all H.
licit disiillaiiun and consequent enhance
mcni of price, has been n powerful agent
in the temperance reform by putting II
beyond the mach OF 80 many. Tho
amount OF whisky consumed In the United
States per capita today Is not more than
10 per cent OF that consumed thirty years
ago"
After few moments silence, Mr.. Blaine